Feminists said NO to TTIP, CETA and TISA during the Feminist Caravan in Barcelona

We, feminists, women, lesbians and trans, have plenty of reasons to say NO to the TTIP, to CETA and TISA:

Because these treaties are a result of patriarchal and neoliberal policies, which safeguard the rights of transnational companies and financial institutions over individuals’, peoples’ and the planet’s rights

Because they will bring brutal re-privatization of public services over the sustainability of our lives, which will fall on the highly feminized care work. Because they will reinforce patriarchal logics of invisibilization and naturalization of care work, making us, women, responsible and putting the blame on us.

Because they represent a fierce attack against our life conditions, deepening, broadening and perpetuating the social emergency that we are already suffering as a consequence of austerity and adjustment policies.

Because they aim at the privatization and commodification of public services, health care, education, public management of water and energy resources, of transport, etc. The existence of public services is crucial for ensuring basic aspects of the sustainability of life based on principles of universality and equity. For us, women, the increasing unemployment, precariousness, privatization and commodification of public services mean a backlash in the socialization of an important part of the care work that will fall back on households.

Because workers’ rights and working conditions will get even worse, causing further precariousness and insecurity, poverty wages and working conditions that put workers in a completely helplessness situation against employers’ attacks, due to the obligation of harmonizing policies with the USA – a country that has not ratified 6 out of ILO’s 8 essential agreements on trade union freedom, wage equity, minimum age for work or collective bargaining.

Because they are a threat to our health for opening European doors to transgenic crops and consumption, to the use of previously forbidden pesticides, chemical products with endocrine disruptors, the consumption of hormone-treated and chlorinated meat. Our right to health and to decide what we eat are two basic aspects for a sustainable life and they are part of our struggle for the right to decide on our bodies.

Because they represent a massive threat to the survival of small farmers, who will not be able to compete with large agribusinesses. Because the right to sufficient, healthy and locally produced food will not be safeguarded anymore for most of people. Instead, the market will decide who can eat and what we eat.

Because alternative and transforming projects born from the principle of Food Sovereignty, defended by so many women producers and consumers and such an important field of reflection and feminist action, will be subordinated to the greed of the large transnational food companies.

Because they increase consumption of fossil fuels and exploitation of shale gas, increasing CO2 emissions to atmosphere, thus contributing to climate change and putting biodiversity at risk.

Because these treaties, which establish the so-called ISDS (Investor-State Dispute Settlement) and the Regulatory Cooperation Council, will make any initiative of legislation of common goods – whether at local or national level – impossible. They represent a dramatic attack to democracy and sovereignty of the peoples and the individuals.

Because we are outraged by the secrecy and antidemocratic nature of the negotiation of these treaties, while we are suffering the consequences of our lives being sold and of being denied the access to information on these negotiations and the right to intervene, as they are being negotiated with corporate and financial lobbies.

For all these reasons and many others, we, feminists, fight for a model of society and economy that put sustainability of life at the core of all policies. And we affirm: